Truth-seek and ye shall find

The Bhagavata teaches us that God gives us truth as He gave it to Vyasa: when we earnestly seek for it. Truth is eternal and unexhausted. The soul receives a revelation when it is anxious for it. The souls of the great thinkers of the bygone ages, who now live spiritually, often approach our inquiring spirit and assist it in its development. Thus Vyasa was assisted by Narada and Brahma. Our Shastras, or in other words, books of thought, do not contain all that we could get from the infinite Father.

No book is without its errors. God's revelation is absolute truth, but it is scarcely received and preserved in its natural purity. We have been advised in the 14th Chapter of 11th Skandha of the Bhagavata to believe that truth when revealed is absolute, but it gets the tincture of the nature of the receiver in course of time and is converted into error by continual exchange of hands from age to age. New revelations, therefore, are continually necessary in order to keep truth in its original purity. We are thus warned to be careful in our studies of old authors, however wise they are reputed to be.

Here we have full liberty to reject the wrong idea, which is not sanctioned by the peace of conscience. Vyasa was not satisfied with what he collected in the Vedas, arranged in the Puranas and composed in the Mahabharata. The peace of his conscience did not sanction his labors. It told him from within, "No, Vyasa! You cannot rest contented with the erroneous picture of truth which was necessarily presented to you by the sages of bygone days. You must yourself knock at the door of the inexhaustible store of truth from which the former ages drew their wealth. Go, go up to the fountainhead of truth, where no pilgrim meets with disappointment of any kind." Vyasa did it and obtained what he wanted. We have been all advised to do so.

Liberty then is the principle which we must consider as the most valuable gift of God. We must not allow ourselves to be led by those who lived and thought before us. We must think for ourselves and try to get further truths which are still undiscovered. In the Bhagavata we have been advised to take the spirit of the Shastras and not the words. The Bhagavata is therefore a religion of liberty, unmixed truth and absolute love.

- Bhaktivinoda Thakur, The Bhagavata (click to download)

Knowledge

Knowledge is like the sun, while all scriptures are only its rays. No single scripture could possibly contain all knowledge. The personal realizations (svatah siddha-jnana) of the jivas are the basis of all scripture. These realizations should be recognized as the gifts of God Himself. The perceptive Rishis obtained this self-evident knowledge directly from the Supreme Brahman and wrote it down for the benefit of other jivas. A fractional portion of this knowledge has taken form as the Veda.

A conditioned soul is advised to study the Veda with the help of all these explanations. But even with the help of these explanations, he should still examine them in the light of his own self-evident knowledge (or personal realizations), because the authors of these explanatory literatures and commentaries are not always clear in their meaning. In some cases, commentators have confessed to having doubts about their own understanding. Therefore the Katha Upanishad (2.5) says:

avidyayam antare vartmanah
svayam dhirah panditam manyamanah
dandramyamanah pariyanti mudhah
andhenaiva niyamana yathandhah

"Abiding in the midst of ignorance, thinking themselves wise and learned, fools go aimlessly hither and thither, like blind led by the blind."

Therefore, it is necessary to cultivate knowledge in the light of one's own personal realizations. This is the rule governing scriptural study. Since knowledge born of personal realization is the root of all the scriptures, how can we expect to gain benefit by ignoring it and depending exclusively on the scriptures, which are the branches growing out of it?

- Bhaktivinoda Thakur, The Bhagavata

Govindam adi purusam

Brahma samhita (click)

Progressive thought

Thought is progressive. The author's thought must have progress in the reader in the shape of correction or development. He is the best critic, who can show the further development of an old thought; but a mere denouncer is the enemy of progress and consequently of Nature. "Begin anew," says the critic, "because the old masonry does not answer at present. Let the old author be buried because his time is gone." These are shallow expressions. Progress certainly is the law of nature and there must be corrections and developments with the progress of time. But progress means going further or rising higher.

Now, if we are to follow our foolish critic, we are to go back to our former terminus and make a new race, and when we have run half the race another critic of his stamp will cry out: "Begin anew, because the wrong road has been taken!" In this way our stupid critics will never allow us to go over the whole road and see what is in the other terminus. Thus the shallow critic and the fruitless reader are the two greatest enemies of progress. We must shun them.

The true critic, on the other hand, advises us to preserve what we have already obtained, and to adjust our race from that point where we have arrived in the heat of our progress. He will never advise us to go back to the point whence we started, as he fully knows that in that case there will be a fruitless loss of our valuable time and labor. He will direct the adjustment of the angle of the race at the point where we are. This is also the characteristic of the useful student. He will read an old author and will find out his exact position in the progress of thought. He will never propose to burn the book on the ground that it contains thoughts which are useless.

No thought is useless. Thoughts are means by which we attain our objects. The reader who denounces a bad thought does not know that a bad road is even capable of improvement and conversion into a good one. One thought is a road leading to another. Thus the reader will find that one thought which is the object today will be the means of a further object tomorrow. Thoughts will necessarily continue to be an endless series of means and objects in the, progress of humanity.

- Bhaktivinoda Thakur, The Bhagavata (here)

-Biography (here)

Cunning duplicity

Whilst relaxing in a nearby park the other day I observed a heron bird motionlessly poised in the shallows of a lake. As he effortlessly balanced on one leg like a great yogi, he seemed completely absorbed in silent meditation, aloof to the passers by and pigeons battling for scraps of bread. Seeking to become disinterested with the temporary thrills of this world and instead focusing on deeper more substantial spiritual experiences are the goals of those sincerely practicing yoga. At first one may have been misled into believing the herons show of control and sensory withdrawl were signs of advancement or yogic powers, but studied a little closer he will understand the mind of the bird. Although appearing detached and indifferent to the world, the heron is actually deeply meditating on his next catch by which he will enjoy and satisfy his taste for fish.

Unfortunately today we find many herod-like personalities dressed as yogis, priests, monks and many more. Whilst poising as spiritual leaders, renunciants, meditators or gurus, certain people are to found who, within, are a very different person from what their masquerade hides. Once, while traveling by train, I sat across table from a female religious leader dressed in full attire. As the journey commenced she smiled at her friend and produced a bottle of French wine, Bordeaux of course. Upon opening and smelling the cork they agreed that it would be a delightful travel. I reflected on the teachings of Bhagavad Gita, proclaiming that a leader must lead by exemplary behavior (click). As a great person acts, common men will follow. Considering the problems with alcohol in society, I felt sorry for the lack of responsibility from such a "spiritual leader". Many claim to be self controlled, yet within they contemplate sexual affairs, or they proudly meditate for 30 minutes a day, but then perform all nonsense for the remainder. This is the heron syndrome (click). Of course not all are cheaters, but one should learn to recognize the characteristics of one who is truly pure in motive.

In a Sanskrit dictionary I looked up a word baka; a hypocrite , cheat , rogue , the crane/heron being regarded as a bird of great cunning and deceit.

In the great histories of ancient India there is an account of Krishna, the supreme personality of godhead, and how he deals which such cheaters. Krishna appears at certain intervals in order to bring relief to pure personalities dedicated to his loving service, as well as to remove any unwanted burden from society. As his pastimes progress he seemingly grows like an ordinary child yet never ages beyond a fresh youth of 16 year appearance. When Krishna spoke the powerful philosophy of Bhagavad Gita (click), he was 125 years old, yet was moving with the grace of a youth, without the aid of a cane of walking frame.

So, one morning as Krishna was playing in the forest with his friends and their calves, they approached the river Yamuna. There they came across a terrifying sight, a huge heron like bird pounding its way towards them. This was Bakasura, a powerful yogi friend of the tyrannical ruler Kamsa. Bakasura, who by his yogic power, had assumed the form of a gigantic heron, represents this cunning duplicity or hypocrisy. He came there with the intention to kill Krishna and all his friends, just as he had killed countless other innocent victims. He was so large that he appeared like a mountain and with his sharp beak he tried to pierce the butter soft body of Krishna. Within a flash he gobbled up Krishna and swallowed him whole, much to the despair of Krishna's friends. Yet, because Krishna is the source of all spiritual energy, he felt like a burning fire within the throat of the demoniac child killer. Both the sun and fire have potential to severely burn, and they are just reflections of the potency of Krishna. Immediately Bakasura coughed out beautiful Krishna, who took hold of his beak in both hands and effortlessly bifurcated the monster, killing him instantly. For Krishna, God, his killing is as good and beneficial as his saving someone, so Bakasura was released from his sinful reactions and liberated.

Looking inwards we may well find that we also possess some of this hypocritical tendency. How often do we perform our activities, our prayers, meditations and hope that someone is becoming impressed by our show? Purity entails giving up all selfish motivations and offering everything to Krishna, complete self-giving. We are so fortunate that we can relish such activities of Krishna so that all heron-like impurities will be purged from our hearts and pure spiritual existence will once again be our natural position.

These pastimes and many more can be downloaded here, this pastime is within Krsna book.

Dream state

Whilst laying asleep at night, we may be transported to magical kingdoms or experience situations possibly completely different from our waking state. We may be chased by a tiger and fear for our life or we may be convinced that we are able to fly in the sky like an eagle. Yet, upon awakening we soon realize that our day to day life is quite different. We may not be the king and fortunately there is no tiger. Yet, dreams can be so powerful that they may completely govern the life of the dreamer.

A dream is often a reflection of what we have experienced whilst awake. For example if a man is a cloth merchant by profession, spending his days absorbed in business, then at night he may dream of such transactions, quoting prices as he talks in his sleep. The dream is a subtle reflection of the waking state, meaning it is confined to our subtle existence of mind, intelligence and false ego, themselves having no tangible physical dimensions.

The physical world around us, our bodies and our possessions are all made up from the denser, grosser aspect of material energy. Therefore, it is described that as well as the subtle body we possess a gross(bulky) body, comprised of earth, water, fire, air and ether. This is our physical frame.

Ancient teachings tell us that just as we have subtle dreams at night reflecting our day, similarly our day to day life is also a dream reflecting our pure spiritual existence. Beyond the subtle and gross bodies, we are the pure consciousness, or soul, which enlivens these bodies. As our night dream has no reality because it is temporary and illusory, our "daydream" is also temporary and based on the illusory misconception that we are these non-permanent bodies and that all connected to these bodies are ours. The "daydream" is just as fleeting as the night dream. One may last for a few hours whereas the other for several years, but they are both dream states for our actual spiritual identity. (click)

We are in this reflection of reality because we wanted to take the position of Krishna, God, as being the controller and enjoyer, forgetting our true nature as loving servants. A child may cry to his mother to give him the moon, yet will be satisfied when she gives him a mirror so that he may enjoy the reflection of the moon therein. We are like that crying child that have been given the reflection of reality to enjoy, and a dull perverted reflection at that. A reflection cannot be truly satisfying, as one cannot be satisfied with only a reflection of food. There is no real taste, nourishment or relief from hunger with the reflection, only the true substance can fulfill. If you throw a bone to a dog, he will run after it, but if you throw a bone to a lion, he will turn to see where from the bone has come. He is looking for the substance. We should not be like dogs chasing after the bone-like reflection of our real identity and spiritually substantial life.

When we are dreaming at night we may be influenced by an external sound. For example, whilst we sleep there may be a certain music playing within the room or a brass band passing outside which may force its way inside our dream and convince us the band is there in our dream world. The alarm may ring for some time, whilst within the dream we are wondering from where the noise is coming. If we focus on this new sound then it most likely will pull our consciousness out to its waking state.

So the same science is there for awakening our dormant spiritual consciousness. Dormant means sleeping. We are sleeping in the illusion of this material world, therefore the all merciful Krishna has descended in the form of his sweet holy name to reawaken us and transport us to the highest realms of pure love (click). Golokera prema dhana, hari nama sankirtan. The treasure of pure love has descended in the form of the congregational chanting of the names of Krishna. If we sincerely take to this chanting then these names will influence us now and fully awaken us, just like the brass band in the dream. And just like the band originating from outside the dreamstate, the sweet all powerful names of Krishna are not manifestations of this world but a pure gift from our real home. We can factually realize our spiritual identities now and engage in the highest service of love even whilst still within this material realm. We will awaken from our illusory slumber in ignorance. It is for this reason that merciful persons take this chanting out to the innocent who are unaware of the reality beyond their daydream. However, there will always be those who do not want to awaken, preferring to snooze for an endless span of lifetimes.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

“‘The holy name of Krishna is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Krishna Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Krishna’s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Krishna Himself. Since Krishna’s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with maya. Krishna’s name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Krishna and Krishna Himself are identical.’

"O King, unless one is influenced by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no meaning to the relationship of the pure soul in pure consciousness with the material body. That relationship is just like a dreamer's seeing his own body working."
Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.1 (here)

Fire Sermon

Lord Buddha paints a vivid picture of the situation of our material sensual existence:

”The ear is on fire; sounds are on fire; the tongue is on fire; tastes are on fire; the body is on fire; things tangible are on fire; the mind is on fire; ideas are on fire; mind-consciousness is on fire; impressions received by the mind are on fire; and whatever sensation, pleasant, unpleasant, or indifferent, originates in dependence on impressions received by the mind, that also is on fire.

And with what are these on fire?

With the fire of passion, say I, with the fire of hatred, with the fire of infatuation; with birth, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, misery, grief and despair are they on fire.”

For further points (click)

Everything from cows is beneficial

Fearless Yoga

jnana-vairagya-yuktena
bhakti-yogena yoginau
ksemaya pada-mulam me
pravisanty akuto-bhayam

The yogis, equipped with transcendental knowledge and renunciation and engaged in devotional service for their eternal benefit, take shelter of My lotus feet, and since I am the Lord, they are thus eligible to enter into the kingdom of Godhead without fear.

One who actually wants to be liberated from the entanglement of this material world and go back home, back to Godhead, is actually a mystic yogi. The words explicitly used here are yuktena bhakti-yogena. Those yogis, or mystics, who engage in devotional service are the first-class yogis. The first-class yogis, as described in Bhagavad Gita, are those who are constantly thinking of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna (link). These yogis are not without knowledge and renunciation. To become a bhakti-yogi means to automatically attain knowledge and renunciation. That is the consequent result of bhakti-yoga. In the Bhagavatam, First Canto, Second Chapter (link), it is also confirmed that one who engages in the devotional service of Vasudeva, Krishna, has complete transcendental knowledge and renunciation, and there is no explanation for these attainments. Ahaituki—without reason, they come. Even if a person is completely illiterate, the transcendental knowledge of the scriptures is revealed unto him simply because of his engagement in devotional service. That is also stated in the Vedic literature. To anyone who has full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the spiritual master, all the import of the Vedic literatures is revealed. He does not have to seek separately; the yogis who engage in devotional service are full in knowledge and renunciation. If there is a lack of knowledge and renunciation, it is to be understood that one is not in full devotional service. The conclusion is that one cannot be sure of entrance into the spiritual realm—in either the impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence of the Lord or the Vaikuntha planets within that Brahman effulgence—unless he is surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. The surrendered souls are called akuto-bhaya. They are doubtless and fearless, and their entrance into the spiritual kingdom is guaranteed.

Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.43 (link)

Love and Reason

We do not mean to say that Reason is a foolish principle. On the contrary we do not find better admirers of Reason than our humble selves. We hold that man's superiority amongst all created beings consists in man's possessing the noble gift of Reason.

What we maintain is this, that independent of this noble principle there is another higher gift in man which goes by the name of Love. Reason helps Love to maintain its proper bounds in the Spiritual world. Love often tends to degrade itself by exercising its function on objects other then God and converts itself into lust for women, wine, meat and gold. Here Reason advises her to rise higher till she reaches her proper sphere above.

Thus we find that the object of Reason is to help Love and not to create it. Reason may be properly styled as the servant of Love and must always be subject to her in all her hopes, aspirations, and holy works.

The Rationalist on the contrary considers Reason as all and all! This is a degradation of humanity! The progressive Rationalist, on the other hand, believes in the principle of love, but attempts to make her the maid-servant of Reason! This is another error! He makes spiritual love sometimes a prisoner in the jails of Reason! Love wants to soar on her spiritual wings to a realm where the Jailer (Reason) cannot go and the latter is sure to tie up her wings for fear lest she goes to an unworthy place!

Love utters sounds of a spiritual character peculiar to herself, but Reason, having no pervious experience of it, mistakes it for a disease and administers medicine for her cure!! Thus it is that the natural strength of the Queen of our Soul is crippled by artificial administration of the dry principle of Reason and she rests in us as if a bird taken in a cage! Oh! What a havoc doth Reason commit by abuse of his power. Oh! Shame to the Rationalist! God help the man!!

Theist take care of those amongst you who mix with you only by assuming the name of Theist but are in fact Rationalists of a very dry character. They are divisible into two classes vis. the designing and the dupes. The designing Theist is he who is in fact a Rationalist but by assuming the name of Theist wants to degrade the sincere by his bad influence. He that calls himself a Theist in order to get rid of the name of Rationalist but still holds Love in subjection to Reason is a dupe because he is unable to find out his own position. The sincere Theist should however take care of both of them and preserve the sovereignty of Love over Reason and his comrades.